1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireless communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for communicating between a mobile communication device and a venue device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Venues want to easily connect to their customers in a manner that is both acceptable to the customer and likely to result in a benefit to the venue.
General definitions for terms utilized in the pertinent art are set forth below.
APP is a software application for a mobile phone such as a smart phone.
Application Programming Interface (API) is a collection of computer software code, usually a set of class definitions, that can perform a set of related complex tasks, but has a limited set of controls that may be manipulated by other software-code entities. The set of controls is deliberately limited for the sake of clarity and ease of use, so that programmers do not have to work with the detail contained within the given API itself.
Beacon is a management frame that contains all of the information about a network. In a WLAN, Beacon frames are periodically transmitted to announce the presence of the network.
BLUETOOTH technology is a standard short range radio link that operates in the unlicensed 2.4 gigaHertz band.
BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (aka “BLE” or “BLUETOOTH LE”) is a communication format from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group which uses the 2.4 gigaHertz band of BLUETOOTH technology but with a simpler modulation system that supports data pockets ranging from 8 to 27 octets, which are transferred at 1 Mbps.
Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) is a spread spectrum communication system used in second generation and third generation cellular networks, and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a widely-implemented strategy for managing a company's interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. CRM involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes and the like—principally sales activities, but also business processes and the like for marketing, customer service and technical support.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a standard network protocol defined by RFC 1541 that allows a server to dynamically distribute IP addressing and configuration information, such as the subnet mask and the default gateway, to clients upon client requests.
Direct Inward Dialing (“DID”) involves a carrier providing one or more trunk lines to a customer for connection to the customer's private branch exchange (“PBX”) and a range of telephone lines are allocated to this line.
FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a protocol for moving files over the Internet from one computer to another.
GSM, Global System for Mobile Communications is a second generation digital cellular network.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”) is a set of conventions for controlling the transfer of information via the Internet from a web server computer to a client computer, and also from a client computer to a web server, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (“HTTPS”) is a communications protocol for secure communication via a network from a web server computer to a client computer, and also from a client computer to a web server by at a minimum verifying the authenticity of a web site.
Internet is the worldwide, decentralized totality of server computers and data-transmission paths which can supply information to a connected and browser-equipped client computer, and can receive and forward information entered from the client computer.
Media Access Control (MAC) Address is a unique identifier assigned to the network interface by the manufacturer.
Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) is a 24-bit number that uniquely identifies a vendor, manufacturer, or organization on a worldwide basis. The OUI is used to help distinguish both physical devices and software, such as a network protocol, that belong to one entity from those that belong to another.
Probe Request: A frame that contains the advertisement IE for a device that is seeking to establish a connection with a proximate device.
Probe Response: A frame that contains the advertisement IE for a device. The Probe Response is sent in response to a Probe Request.
SSID (Service Set Identifier) is a 1 to 32 byte string that uniquely names a wireless local area network.
Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) is a protocol for moving files over the Internet.
URL or Uniform Resource Locator is an address on the World Wide Web.
User Interface or UI is the junction between a user and a computer program. An interface is a set of commands or menus through which a user communicates with a program. A command driven interface is one in which the user enter commands. A menu-driven interface is one in which the user selects command choices from various menus displayed on the screen.
Wayfinding is defined as tracking an object within a pre-determined space.
Web-Browser is a complex software program, resident in a client computer, that is capable of loading and displaying text and images and exhibiting behaviors as encoded in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) from the Internet, and also from the client computer's memory. Major browsers include MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER, NETSCAPE, APPLE SAFARI, MOZILLA FIREFOX, and OPERA.
Web-Server is a computer able to simultaneously manage many Internet information-exchange processes at the same time. Normally, server computers are more powerful than client computers, and are administratively and/or geographically centralized. An interactive-form information-collection process generally is controlled from a server computer, to which the sponsor of the process has access.
Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) is an open, global specification that empowers users with mobile wireless communication devices (such as mobile phones) to easily access data and to interact with Websites over the Internet through such mobile wireless communication device. WAP works with most wireless communication networks such as CDPD, CDMA, GSM, PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, reflex, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, Mobitex and GRPS. WAP can be built on most operating systems including PalmOS, WINDOWS, CE, FLEXOS, OS/9, JavaOS and others.
WAP Push is defined as an encoded WAP content message delivered (pushed) to a mobile communication device which includes a link to a WAP address.
Wireless AP (access point) is a node on the wireless local area network (WLAN) that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi, or related standards.
The prior art has failed to disclose a system that allows a venue to easily connect to their customers in a manner that is both acceptable to the customer and likely to result in a benefit to the venue. The venue must identify how to universally connect with customers since the connection mechanism must be able to reach customers of different geographic regions, cultures, economics, ethnicities, races, religions, and the like. Further, the venue must implement a connection mechanism that is compatible with the existing infrastructure of the venue.